How To Clean A Grill With Just 2 Pantry Staples

You've just pulled off the most epic barbecue party the neighborhood has ever seen. Now that the guests have all headed home, the dishes are done, and the charcoal's been put out, there's one last thing on your to-do list: cleaning the grill. Most people turn to grill cleaners for the job, but if you ran out or want to avoid chemicals on your cooking equipment, did you know that all you need is salt and vinegar to get your grill clean again?

There are a lot of dirty things that stick to your grill after a cooking session, and this combo can effectively deal with them all. Vinegar can dissolve all the oil and fat that sticks to the grill, whereas coarse salt can act as a gentle abrasive to knock loose any solid food bits and charcoal residue. If your grill is a bit weathered, vinegar and salt can help you deal with light rust spots, too.

You can soak the grate in a tub containing one part salt, two parts vinegar overnight. The morning after, just take a scrub brush to the grate, and stubborn grime will fall right off. Obviously, you can't sink an entire grill in vinegar, so for the rest of the setup, you can combine equal parts salt, vinegar, and water in a spray bottle and give any dirty spot you find a light spritz. Get scrubbing after 30 minutes or so, and your grill will look good as new.

Beyond vinegar and salt, the tried-and-true vinegar and baking soda combo is another option. When you mix one part baking soda and two parts vinegar together, they'll form a substance with a similar texture and look to toothpaste called carbonic acid. Not only is it abrasive for dealing with stuck-on grime, it's fantastic at busting grease, too. Spread it on your grate and after 15 minutes, wipe it off with a brush, and your grill should be sparkling.

Don't have vinegar handy? Not an issue, nature provides two wonderful alternatives in the form of lemon and onion. Just cut either into thick slices and rub the fleshy side against the grill while it's still hot. The natural acids will immediately get to work breaking down cooking residues. If you need extra scrubbing power, you can coat your lemon or onion slice with coarse salt for an all-natural scouring pad.

If you're completely out of all supplies, plain water works too. Pour tap water into a foil dish, and place it on the hot grill. The water will start to boil and release steam. If you shut the lid, the steam will attack and loosen grime in the grill's interior. Think of it as steam-cleaning your grill. After a couple of minutes, just brush down the grill — no chemicals, no fuss!